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This list of the tallest buildings and structures in Liverpool ranks skyscrapers and structures in Liverpool, England, by height (buildings in the wider Liverpool urban area are listed separately within the article). The tallest building in Liverpool is currently the 40-storey West Tower, which rises 140 metres (459 ft) on Liverpool's waterfront. It is also the joint 21st-tallest building in the United Kingdom. Liverpool is a city undergoing mass regeneration and older buildings are being demolished to make way for new developments. During the mid-2000s, ten 1960s apartment blocks over 50 metres (164 ft) tall in the city were demolished.
Contents
- Tallest buildings and structures in Liverpool
- Tallest buildings and structures by usage
- Tallest under construction approved and proposed in Liverpool
- Under construction
- Approved
- Proposed
- Liverpool Waters
- Controversy
- Tallest buildings and structures in the Liverpool Urban Area
- Timeline of tallest buildings and structures
- References
The history of tall buildings and structures in Liverpool began in 1911, with the completion of the Royal Liver Building, which stands at 295 feet (90 metres) and was widely reported to be Britain's first skyscraper. This period marked the pinnacle of Liverpool's economic success, when it regarded itself as the "second city" of the British Empire. In 1965 its 54-year reign as the tallest building in Liverpool came to an end, with the completion of Radio City Tower. At 138 metres (453 ft) it was originally going to be a ventilation shaft but was later converted into a revolving restaurant and then in 2000 a radio station. In 2008, Radio City Tower was topped by the Beetham Organization's West Tower by two metres. However, this record could soon be broken by the proposed King Edward Tower at 170 metres (558 ft), which would also become one of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom outside London upon completion.
There is also an ambitious proposal named Liverpool Waters which, if built, would include most of the city's tallest buildings, with numerous being over fifty storeys tall. However, plans for this development so close to the main waterfront could affect the city's status as a World Heritage Site according to English Heritage.
The tallest building ever envisaged for Liverpool was the Otterspool Tower at 305 metres (1,001 ft) and 79 storeys. However, the centrepiece for a proposed 1980s 'garden festival' was never built. As of 2015, the tallest building pending approval is the Shanghai Tower which will contain 50 storeys and be at least 200 metres (656 ft) tall if and when built.
Tallest buildings and structures in Liverpool
This list ranks the top 38 completed buildings and structures in Liverpool at least 45m tall, which excludes buildings under construction, proposed buildings and cancelled buildings.
An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings.
Tallest buildings and structures by usage
West Tower - 140 m (460 ft)
Radio City Tower - 138 m (453 ft)
Liverpool Cathedral - 101 m (331 ft)
Royal Liver Building - 90 m (300 ft)
Royal Liverpool University Hospital Boiler House - 67 m (220 ft)
Welsh Presbyterian Church - 61 m (200 ft)
Wheel of Liverpool - 60 m (200 ft)
Liverpool John Lennon Airport Control Tower - 55 m (180 ft)
Royal Liverpool University Hospital - 47 m (154 ft)
The Strand Travelodge - 45 m (148 ft)
Municipal Buildings - 45 m (148 ft)
Victoria Gallery & Museum - 40 m (130 ft)
Wellington's Column - 40 m (130 ft)
Site 6 Paradise Street - 37 m (121 ft)
Everton water tower - 26 m (85 ft)
Tallest under construction, approved and proposed in Liverpool
Below are sub-sections for the tallest under construction, approved and proposed buildings and structures in Liverpool. Cancelled projects such as the Otterspool Tower, Brunswick Quay, the Fourth Grace Towers and Lime Street Gateway are not included.
Under construction
This lists buildings that are under construction in Liverpool (over 45m).
Approved
This lists buildings that have been approved in Liverpool (over 45m).
Proposed
This lists buildings that have only been proposed to be built in Liverpool (over 45m).
Liverpool Waters
Liverpool Waters is a large scale £5.5bn development that has been proposed by the company Peel Holdings in the Vauxhall and dockland areas of Liverpool. The development is expected to create 21m sq ft of new commercial and residential floor space and consist of upwards of fifty buildings, with many over fifty storeys high. There is a sister project on the other side of the Mersey called Wirral Waters. At 50 storeys, the tallest of all buildings included within the proposal is named Shanghai Tower (as to pay homage to Liverpool's historical and present links to the Chinese city), it will include a five star hotel and over 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) of mixed use floor space. Developers have stated that the project may take fifty years before it is finished. The proposals are presently at the planning stage and are subject to public acceptance.
Controversy
Liverpool's status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has been threatened with withdrawal by English Heritage if plans for Liverpool Waters goes ahead, claiming that the development would risk "overwhelming the defining characteristics of the area with opposing ones". A spokesperson for English Heritage said: "We believe that it is possible to come up with a creative and imaginative scheme of regeneration for the area without necessarily having these tall buildings (at Clarence Dock) that is still economically viable and diminishes the impact." Development company Peel have refused the removal of any skyscrapers from the Liverpool Waters project, however. In 2011 the proposed site was visited by UNESCO inspectors who then advised the World Heritage Committee whether the city’s status, which was awarded in 2004, should go on the “at risk” register. Following the visit, UNESCO decided to "inscribe Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) on the List of World Heritage in Danger, with the possibility of deletion of the property from the World Heritage List, should the current project be approved and implemented."
Tallest buildings and structures in the Liverpool Urban Area
The list below contains the tallest buildings and structures in the Liverpool Urban Area. This term is used by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to denote the urban area around Liverpool.
Timeline of tallest buildings and structures
Liverpool's skyline has been built up mostly in the last 10 years. The Royal Liver Building held the title of tallest structure in Liverpool for 54 years until Radio City Tower was completed in 1965. Radio City Tower was finally beaten in 2008 by West Tower.